Without security elections won't be credible — Sultan

Sultan of Sokoto, H.M.Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III.

....As Jega, others call for vigilance 

THE Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, has called on security agencies to put in the necessary measures that would ensure that all parts of the nation are safe and unthreatened by internal and external aggressors, ahead of the general elections.

He added that without security, elections in the country won’t be credible, urging stakeholders to ensure a peaceful atmosphere before, during and after the polls.

The Sultan spoke at a one-day public sensitisation programme with the theme: ‘Towards a Free, Fair, and Credible 2023 General Elections’, yesterday, in Abuja.

The event was organised by the National Mosque Da’awah and Welfare Foundation in partnership with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and the Centre for Democracy and Development, CDD.

The royal father said, “All the stakeholders, especially the security agencies must work extra hard to provide security.

“Without security, there won’t be elections in so many places, and when so many places have been denied voting, what can be said about the credibility of the elections? The question is there, but the answer is left hanging.

“We need credible elections to have good leaders. We need good leaders to move our country forward, and when Nigeria moves forward, I dare say, the whole of black race moves forward. So, we must not fail and cannot afford to fail.”

Delivering the keynote address, the immediate past Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, described the attitude and disposition of the so-called political class as the most worrisome challenge going into the general elections.

According to Jega, “Upscaled use of technology, such as creation of electronic register of voters, use smart voters Card, and authentication of voters with technological devices (e.g. in 2015 Card Reader, now BVAS) has also made fraudulent voting very difficult indeed.

“In spite of all these, however, we are still not yet out of the woods. A lot more effort needs to go into continuous improvement and enhancement of the integrity of our elections.  

“Clearly, improvement within INEC alone, without commensurate improvements within all stakeholders in the election processes, while necessary, is not sufficient for ensuring free, fair, credible, transparent and peaceful elections. 

Speaking also, a former Editor of the Saturday Daily Trust and columnist, Hajiya Aisha Umar Kabiru-Yusuf, said that the media as the fourth estate of the realm comes after the executive, legislature and judiciary.

“Just like a three-legged table cannot be stable, so will a democratic system devoid of the media remain unstable and dysfunctional,” she said.

On his part, the Chairman ANMDWF, Dr. Muhammad Kabir Adam, said it is the responsibility of all Nigerians to ensure the the coming general elections.

“If the elections are credible, the outcome would be successful and the leaders that would emerged would be answerable to them and deliver good governance,” Imam Adam said.